Ratepayers revolt over 'shock' rise

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 3, Issue 7, 9 July 1985, Page 1

Ratepayers revolt over 'shock' rise

A petition is being drawn up this week in a bid to force Ohakune Borough Council to think again over its recent rates increase which has been described as "massive" and "a con job", by ratepayers.

Residents of the town were staggered when their rates demands arrived last week. Many property owners found their bills were 50 to 60 percent higher than last year. At the April meeting of Ohakune Borough Council, Mayor Bill Taylor told councillors that the average rate increase would be 32 percent. However, this was qualified by the statement that the lower the valuation of a property the lower the percentage increase would be. "There probably won't be a ratepayer in the town who will have their rates increased by the average of 32 percent," he added. But details of how the average increase figure was arrived at did not satisfy senior citizens and young couples who contacted the Bulletin this week, enraged by 50 and 60 percent increases in their rates. The ratepayers' petition is being organised by local businessman Ken George of the Kapai Bookshop in Goldfinch Street, who has had his residential rates bill increased by 60.2 percent. He has sought legal advice on how to draw up the petition and will circulate it

throughout the town. "It is getting impossible for pensioners and young people to live in this town," he said. However, Mayor Taylor and town clerk, Mrs Edith Moore, are adamant that ratepayers were given every opportunity to voice their opposition to the increase. At last month's full council meeting councillors confirmed the new rate, after the Mayor stated that no objections had been received to the increase agreed by the council, However,. ratepayers did not receive their rate demands until two weeks after the new rate was confirmed by council. Although ratepayers could have worked out their individual increase, many stated they had no idea their bills were going to be so high until they received their demands — after the date for objections had passed. Twenty cents in each rating dollar is spent on administration, a further twenty cents on wages and salaries, twenty cents on roading, ten cents on borough properties, leaving the remaining thirty cents f or water supply, refuse collection, sewage, amenities and serviee.